Railway journal box lubricator structure



Oct. 20, 1953 J. J. HENNEssY A 2,656,226

' RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR STRUCTURE i Filed Feb. 4, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.4 l.

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J3 3/ Jar/enfer 06f. zo, 1953 Filed Feb. `4. 1950 lJ. J. HENNESSYRAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Cet.20, 1953 RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR STRUCTURE James J. Hennessy,Chambersburg, Pa., assignor to Hennessy Lubricator Company, Inc.,Chambersburg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 4,1950, Serial No. 142,435

13 Claims.

The invention relates to railway axle vjournal box lubricators of thetype in which a pump in the journal box is actuated by the play of thejournal crosswise of the box to pump lubricant from the bottom of thebox to the surface of the journal.

One of the problems in providing a lubricator of this type is the matterof installing and removing the pump, when the box and journal areassembled, without jacking up the box, removing the wedge or bearing orbolt and then dropping the box onto the journal so as to provide moreroom to insert the lubricator through the box opening into the spacebeneath the journal. The main object of the present invention is tofacilitate the insertion of a pump into the space between the journaland the bottom of the box without the necessity of jacking up anddropping the box as described and without the necessity of undulyrestricting the size of the pump and associated parts or the necessityof making the lubricator in a plurality oi separate parts which must beassembled after insertion into the box.

This object is attained by arranging the box and the lubricator pump toposition the pump forwardly of the box beyond the end of the journal andpreferably this arrangement includes the provision of an opening in thelower outer portion of the usual box front wall with an adjacent housingor recess for receiving the pump extending forwardly of the box beyondthe usual contour, there being structure for closing the opening in thebox front wall against the loss of oil or admission of dirt, moisture,etc.

In the accompanying dra-wings, which illustrate the invention,

' Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an axle journalbox equipped with the invention, the associated axle journal being shownin elevation.

Figures 2 and 5 are detail vertical sections taken on the correspondingsection lines of Figure 1.

` Figure 3 is a detail top view of the pump and pump operating mechanismand is taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4 3 ofFigure 3 and drawn to enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a vertical section corresponding to the left hand portion ofFigure l but illustrating another form of the invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 'I--l oi'Figure 6.

' Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-9 of Figure 6.

The box I shown in Figures l-5 resembles the usual box having a bottom,wall 2, side walls 3 and a top wall 4 which seats a wedge 5 and abearing B, all mounted upon the journal 'I of the general type. The boxwill have the usual opening 8 in its front wall extending downwardly toaccommodate the insertion and removal of the wedge and bearing and thisopening will be provided with the usual lid (not shown).

Below opening 8 and extending forward and upwardly from the box bottomwall 2 is a front wall provided with an opening 9 having bottom, top andside edges and adapted to receive a housing having a bottom II), sidesII, a top I2 and a front I3 forming a closure for the opening 9.Preferably the housing bottom I0 extends inwardly of the box along thebottom wall 2. The housing may be welded to the box as indicated at Wforming a joint around the housing.

A distributor I4 has a length corresponding generally to the bearingsurface of the journal and has a width corresponding generally to thediameter of the journal. The distributor I4 and the springs S whichsupport it from the bottom of the journal box may be readily insertedthrough box opening 9 before the housing is applied or may be insertedthrough the usual opening in the upper portion of the box front wallinto position beneath the journal as there is no pump beneath thejournal which the lubricator must clear. The distributor includes anarcuate panlike member I5 lled with felt or woven or sewn strands ofwool or other similar iibrous material I6.

A lubricant pump structure is positioned in the housing and includesduplicate pairs of upright chambers I1 and I8, at least one chamber ofeach pair having flexible sides. Each pair of chambers I1 and I8 ismounted upon the left hand end of a substantially horizontal lever I9and these levers are pivoted to upstanding ribs 30 on a bracket 3| whichis slidable inwardly of the box from the position shown in which a lip32 at its inner end engages the inner edge of housing bottom Il), theouter end of the bracket being beneath a holding piece 33 welded to thehousing bottom at X (Figure 5). Levers I9 are actuated by a lever 2|pivoted at 22 to the bracket ribs 30 and have a journal engaging element23. Levers I9 and 2l have inter-engaging arms 24 and the parts are soarranged that as the journal moves axially crosswise of the box, itsleft-hand movement will elevate the left hand end oi lever I9 andchambers I1 and right-hand movement of the journal will release chambersI'I and permit springs 25 and 26 to expand chambers I'I to positionshown in Figure 1 Where their upper ends are seated against a ledge 34on the housing front I3. Return check valves 21 and 28 provide for theintake andqdischarge of lubricant from chambers Il to chambers I8 fromwhence it is lead through conduits 29 to the :distributor at pointsintermediate the'ends of the journal.

Figures 6, '7 and 8 illustrate another form of the invention in whichthe journal box 40 and journal il correspond with those previouslydescribed. The box front wall Mlhasaniopening-j 135 similar to opening9. The distributor 46 may be the same as that showninEigure-l andthehousing 133 in the front wall,openingileislsub stantially the same asthat previously/described.:.

The pump structure is of the ,cylinder and piston type and includes apair of levers lll'pivoted' at 48 on ribs i9 Welded to the housingbottoinandv extending upwardly from their pivots to terminate inelements 5E! Ydisposed to be engagedby the end of the journal as itplays backfandfforth, crosswise or" the box. Associated witheach levervlll is a spring thrust piston 5| received `in a .cylinder 52 forming apart of or mounted upon housing 483. Upstanding chambers 5G. at theinnerends of cylinders 52 have returncheckvalves 55' and conduits ileading todistributor. 46.-.

In both forms of the invention, the vpump and distributor arestructureswhich maybe made rigid and of substantial size andV readilyapplied to they journal Without the inconvenience Vofhaving them formedof hingedparts to acilitate vinser.a

tion into the space directly beneath thek lower center -portionof thejournal. Hence, `it is. comparatively easy to provide pumps anddistribTu-- wedge and bearing, a bottom wall., .and afront.v wallextending between said top andv bottom walls,-

there being an opening in said front .wall adjacent said bottom wall,and a lubricant -pump positioned in said latter-mentioned opening abovethe .bottom or" the box and provided with a pump actuating memberextending inwardly of the box..

and longitudinally ofthe box, and anassociated operating elementdisposed Vto engage the end ,ofVv

a journal in the box.

2. In-a railway axle journal lubricator, a box having a top wallriorseating the usual :journal wedge and bearing, a bottom wall, anda .frontwall extending between said top and bottom walls,y

there being an opening inI said front walladjacent said bottom wall andabove. thevlevel .there-A of, and a housing projecting outwardly from.the end of the box above; the level of said bottom` wall and having atop, a bottomv and sides fitting i theV top, bottoml andv sides ot saidopening, said housing formingfa front closure. fori saidv opening, and alubricant -pumpstructure.mountedv in said housing and providedV with anactuating.-

member extending .into the -boxto contact a journal therein.V

3. In combination, arailway axle'journal, av

bearing, a wedgeand aybox mounted thereon having `a ,bottom vvall 'andafrontwall, there being an :opening :in the Alower ,portioniotsaidrfrontconduits leading from,saidoutletinwardly andY wall adjacent said bottomwall, a lubricant distributor insertible horizontally through saidopening into position beneath the journal, a pump, a pump operatingmechanism positioned, at least in part, in said openingy and a lubricantconduit leading from thepumpinwardly along the side oi said journalto apoint on said distributor intermediate the ends of the journal.

4. A structure as described in claim 3 in which duplicate conduits leadfrom said pump structure-:along*opposite-sides of the journal to pointson said distributor intermediate the ends of the journal-,

5. Inacombination, a railway axle journal box includingtop; bottom andfront walls, there being an opening in the front wall extending upwardlyfrom thebox lbottom wall, a housing secured'in and forming a closure forsaid opening, and a pump mounted in said housing above the .level of.said bottom wall andcomprising an upright collapsible chamber withflexible sidewal-ls having areturn check inlet valve at its lower endanda return .check outlet valve spaced abovesaid-inlet valve andjournal. contacting means for collapsing the pump chamber, andconduitsnleading fromsaid outlet valve -inwardly and upwardly ofthe-box..

6.'. ncombination, a railway axle journal box includingtop, bottom .andfront walls, there being an v.opening inthe .front..wall, extendingupwardly from the box bottom. wall, a housing secured in and crminga.closure for said opening, a pump.structuremnuntedin said housingoutwardly of the. box frontwall, and a pump actuating mechanismmountedona portion of saidhousing inwardly of said. front wall andincluding. a pivoted lever. disposedto 4be engaged journal upon .whichthe box `is mounted..

7. In combination, a railway axle journal box including top,bottom.andirontwalls there be.- ing an openinginthe front wall-extendingupwardly from .the box bottom .wall, a housing..se. cured in andforming-a closure for said opening., alubricantdistributor comprisingYan upwardly facing concave lubricant conducting device oflesswidththanthe width `ofsaid opening and insertible throughsaidopeningandsupported, from. said. bottom.. wall, and a pump mounted .in saidhousing and comprising an .upright collapsible. chamber-having a returnvcheck inlet valve -at.its lower end .and a .return .check outletvalvespaced abovesaidinlet valve, and

upwardlyofthe boxto said distributor.

8. In combination, a railway axle journal box including `top,. bottomand frontwalls, there being an opening inthe front wall extendingupwardly from the box bottom rwall, a housing secured in and forming aclosure. for said opening, a. lubricant distributor.. comprising anupwardly facing kconcave lubricant conductingv device of less width thanthe width of said opening and insertible through said opening andsupported from said. bottomwall, said distributor. comprising asubstantiallyI rigid pan-like mem-V ber having a length `and Widthcorresponding to the length and diameter oi the journal to which the boxis to be applied and havinga spring supporting Athe distributor from thebottom of the box.

9. In combination, afrailwayaxle journal box includingtop, bottom andfront Walls, ythere being an opening in thefrontwall extending4upwardlyfrom the. box bottom Wall,..a housing lsecured in and forming a closure-.forsaid..opening, a lever plvoted on said housing with an armextending upwardly from its pivot and an arm extending outwardly fromits pivot, a collapsible pump mounted on the outer end of saidlattermentioned arm with its upper end confined by said housing, and ajournal contacting element mounted on the upper end of saidfirst-mentioned arm.

10. In combination, a railway axle journal, a box mounted thereon andincluding top, bottom and front walls, there being an opening in thefront wall extending upwardly from the box bottom wall, a housingpositioned in and forming a closure for said opening, a pair of leversarranged side by side transversely of the box each being pivoted on thehousing and extending upwardly from its pivot and terminating in anelement disposed to engage the end of a journal upon which the box ismounted, a lubricant pump mounted in said housing and including cylinderand piston structure associated with said levers, and passagewaysprovided with return check valve structure leading from said cylinderand piston structure inwardly of the box and discharging to oppositesides of said journal.

11. In combination, a railway axle journal, a bearing, a wedge, and abox mounted thereon having a bottom wall and a front wall, a padlikelubricant distributor member applied to the lower face of said journal,a spring supporting said member from the bottom of the box beneath thejournal, a lubricant pump mounted in said box outwardly of the forwardend of said journal at least partly above the level of the bottom of thejournal, a pump operating mechanism positioned between the outer end ofsaid distributor and the front wall of the box, and a lubricant conduitleading from the pump to said distributor.

12. In combination, a railway axle journal, a bearing, a wedge, and abox mounted thereon having a bottom wall and a front Wall, a lubricantpump mounted in the box forwardly of the box beyond the end of saidjournal, a pump operation mechanism positioned between the outer end ofsaid journal and the front wall of the box and engageable by the end ofthe journal, and means for conducting lubricant from said pump to saidjournal at points on the latter intermediate its ends.

13. In combination, a railway axle journal box having side walls, a topwall for seating the usual journal wedge and bearing, a bottom Wall, anda front wall curving forwardly and upwardly from said bottom wall beyondthe outer end of said top wall and forming, with the front edge of thelatter and front edges of said side Walls, the usual journal box openingat the level of a journal upon which the box, bearing, and Wedge aremounted, there being an opening in said front wall between said bottomwall and said firstmentioned opening, a lubricant pump positioned insaid second-mentioned opening, and means for conducting lubricant fromsaid pump inwardly of the box to points spaced longitudinally of the boxfrom said pump.

JAMES J. HENNESSY,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 243,820 Wendell July 5, 1881 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 55,274 Sweden Oct. 23, 1919 635,817 Germany Sept. 24, 1936

